Trek Shorts - Trick or Treat
by newdivide1701
Summary: It's Halloween on Starbase 17, and Captain Pike reconsiders his future.


"Acknowledged, Enterprise. You're cleared for drydock 2," said the voice from Starbase 17 as the 4 tractor beams lock onto the USS Enterprise and guide her into one of the station's drydocks.

The Enterprise entered the opened space frame that is attached to a cylindrical body above the ship, which is attached to a central body with a long boom with an array of viewports with 2 other drydocks attached to the central body the same way forming a triangular pattern. Above the central body was a vertical boom that had 6 fuel containers docked to it with large dishes on top. Below the central body was another central body where the booms held 3 massive saucers twice the diameter as the Enterprise's with dishes below.

Once inside the frame, massive robotic arms docked with the ship and hexagonal floodlights illuminated the ship.

In one of the massive saucers below and to the right of the Enterprise, a middle aged Vulcan was sitting on a bench in the garden under the large dome on the saucer. Coming around the corner down a path, a familiar figure came saw the Vulcan who was staring at the other side very intensely.

The officer slowed down, looked in the woman's direction and turned back to her which he said, "Pardon me, may I help you with something?"

Her gaze was broken and looked at the officer which she moved unusually slowly. "I'm Captain Christopher Pike, I couldn't help but notice that..."

"You are from the Sol system, correct?" the Vulcan said which Pike acknowledged. "My apologies. I am Tlen."

"A pleasure to meet you, T'Len," said Pike. She then said, "Tlen, it's pronounced Tlen."

"Then my apologies to you, Tlen," said Pike. One thing he noticed was a crescent shaped scar just under her left eye. It was distinct, but not overblown.

"I had noticed, Captain, that every 14 T'Khus..." which Tlen began but then stopped. One thing Pike had noticed is she seemed colder than many Vulcans he had met before. "Once again, my apologies, Captain, as I neglected to factor in that not everyone knows what a T'Khu is."

"It's like one of our months. Vulcan and Cheron - or T'Khut as you call it - are in a trojan orbit of each other," said Pike. "They orbit each other about 12 times every one of your years."

Tlen slowly nodded at Pike. He then continued, "Earth and Luna are similar, and my first officer is half-Vulcan."

"I had noticed that every 14 T'Khus, this station carves unusual looking faces onto hollowed out gourds and places an electronic candle inside of them, which are then placed them over the gardens and community centres," said Tlen as she turned her gaze back to the gourd. Pike looked at the gourd and started to chuckle.

"It's called a Jack O'Lantern," said Pike as he gestured his hand to a vacant spot on the bench which Tlen nodded. "On my world, we have a tradition called Halloween that we celebrate every year on October 31st, mostly in the North American continent. Come to think of it, it's today, actually.

"The Jack O'Lanterns are meant to scare away evil spirits while the candle lights the way for those who have died out of purgatory - trapped between the living world and the dead.

"But I'm not sure if Vulcans believe in ghosts, I know Spock doesn't."

"On my world, we have tradition called Katra-tal-tsu, which is also today," said Tlen. "It's similar to fal-tor-pan which are believed to be nothing more than legend. Vulcan priests and priestesses combine their powers in an attempt to retrieve any residual katras for those who have not joined anyone at the moment of death."

"I never knew Vulcans had ghost stories," said Pike as he chuckled. "That's another thing Halloween is known for; scary stories, horror movies, ghosts, hauntings - but probably nothing more than trick or treat. Children go door to door, say trick or treat, and they get candy.

"I still remember dressing up as Commander Peter Taggert when I was 7 - he was from an old Earth show called Galaxy Quest. Inspired me to join Starfleet," Pike continued. "My uncle took me trick or treating on that Halloween, but we came to a house with a holographic spider that covered the house and it only showed when they had a lightning machine going off - scared the living shit out of me. Hated spiders since, still do.

"Once again my apologies, but I have a meeting with Admiral Kirk," said Pike as he stood up. "I think I found someone to replace me as captain of the Enterprise. I've been offered a fleet captain position."

Before he started walking, he looked over at the Jack O'Lantern Tlen was gazing at, then he looked at the garden seeing as it's approaching the evening which made him smile.

"It's funny," said Pike. "When I took command of the Discovery for a time, I always felt like the odd man out. And when I resumed command of the Enterprise, I felt like I was back home. But even then -

"I'm too old for trick or treating," Pike said as he turned back to Tlen, "I can't avoid the future, but I can still be human.

"Anyways, Tlen" said Pike, "it's been a pleasure talking to you."

"Thank you for your time, Captain," said Tlen. Pike nodded and walked off as Tlen stared back at the Jack O'Lantern.

Going down a ramp from the garden, Pike walked up to a set of double doors with circular glass in the middle of each door with the Starfleet emblem on them. He rang the buzzer which a voice said, "Come in."

As Pike entered, he saw Admiral Kirk dressed up as a Norse god with a hammer, red cape and a blond wig which made Pike laugh.

"What do you think?" said Admiral Kirk as he also chuckled. He then took off the wig and set it down on his desk and stoked the beard. "The beard is real, my wife says it tickles. More fun that way, if you ask me."

After regaining their composure, Pike sat at Kirk's desk while Kirk grabbed 2 glasses with ice cubes and a bottle which Pike declined.

"It's only carbonated water, orange flavoured," said Kirk as he poured a glass for Pike. "I already had 2 shots of bourbon at a Halloween party this afternoon. And unfortunately 2 shots of whiskey as well. Never get drunk unless you're willing to pay for it the next day.

"I knew an ensign who learned that the hard way."

"The only way we really learn," said Pike as they both laugh.

"Anyways, Chris, I understand you're considering my son, Jim, as your replacement," said Kirk which Pike confirmed. "Are you sure? He's not exactly the most disciplined officer. Hell, I stil scold him over wrecking my 1966 convertible. And it was real antique, not a reprint."

"I know," said Pike while chuckling over Kirk's son's antics. "But I'm looking at his record and commendations he received when he was second officer on the Columbia when she went down over Altamid."

"I know, he was instrumental in rescuing the Columbia survivors and stopping Bartholomew Edison from destroying Starbase Yorktown," said Kirk. "But what is the real reason you want him? Or should I be asking why you accepted promotion in the first place?"

Pike sat back in his chair taking a gulp from the flavoured water hoping the carbon will help him focus, trying to find the right words after Kirk's second question.

"Well, Admiral," Pike started with Kirk interrupting, "Chris, I'm dressed as Thor. Call me George."

"George," said Pike bemused over Kirk's logic and refilling his drink. "Truth be told, I've become an ass kissing burocrat. And a burocrat is the last person I need to run my ship.

"Una moved onto her own ship, Spock declined the offer to take over as captain. I remembered that incident from Altamid last year, saw what your son did, and my gut said I found my replacement."

"Jim's only been the Oberth's XO for a few months," said Kirk. "And that's only a prototype science ship."

"It could have been worse," said Pike. "I could have given him my ship straight out of the academy.

"Your son may have a tendency to leap before he looks, but to me it's something Starfleet lost even after the war," said Pike. "The willingness to stand up for principle, willingness to take risks."

"When you become too seasoned, you can become a bit stale," said Kirk. "I remember those days when I was Captain Robau's XO on the Kelvin, then I'm her captain. At first it's just your crew, then it's the weight of the galaxy."

"I was talking with Tlen - a Vulcan in the garden, I was telling her about Halloween and trick or treat, and I started thinking," said Pike. "10 years ago I wanted to run away after what happened on Rigel 7. This time, going home - I've been Captain Pike for 14 years, and I will always be him. But I think it's time I got to know Christopher Pike again, go horseback riding again, hand out candy to trick or treaters, while still maintaining the promise that's Starfleet.

"Who knows? I might even dress up next year."

"You could always dress up as Black Bolt," said Kirk jokingly which Pike replied, "No, no! I made that mistake once before. I was even dared to dress up as Jesus. I've got a year to think about it - before fate takes you on another path."

Kirk gave Pike a momentarily confused look, then shrugged it off. He looked at his PADD and said, "Well I got what I need from you, and I'll submit your recommendation to Starfleet right away. It'll take a few months, but if he's accepted, I'll tell him personally.

"I wish I could give him command, but due to conflict of interest, I can't."

As Kirk looked at his PADD confirming the speech to text transcripts, Pike sat there still haunted by the vision he saw on Borath seven years prior. He knows he has to face it soon, but he doesn't know when. He sat there thinking about his old friend, Phillip Boyce, when he told him that a man can face life head on, or turn his back and wither. He sat there and thought to himself, "The irony," while looking at a Jack O'Lantern in Kirk's office and smiled.

"It's funny, when you mentioned Tlen, we had a Vulcan named Tlen here a few years ago," said Kirk as he leaned back in his chair which snapped Pike back into the real world. "She was the groundskeeper for this saucer's garden. She had a distinct crescent shaped scar under her eye."

"Her left eye," said Pike that Kirk acknowledged. "I saw her in garden this evening before I came here."

"What?" said Kirk in confusion. "She's been dead 2 years!"

Within the garden of the starbase, Tlen sat on the bench where Captain Pike met her still staring at the Jack O'Lantern. For an instant, she phased into a human woman with blond hair wearing a silver miniskirt dress, and then vanished.

Happy Halloween


End file.
